Developing-tray.



No. 653,!46. Patented July 3, I900. S. B. MOORE.

DEVELOPING TRAY.

. 1 (Application filed. Aug. 31, 1899.)

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No. s53,|4e. Paitented July 3, I900;

S. B. MOORE.

DEVELOPING TRAY.

' (Applicatio n filed Aug. 31, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 -Sh eets$haet 2.

% g A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STUART B. MOORE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEVELOPING-TRAY.

SPEGIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,146, dated July3,1900. Application filed August 31, 1899. Serial No. 729,045. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STUARTB. MOORE, of the city of New York, borough ofManhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a newandlmproved Developing- Tray, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description;

My invention relates to an improvement in developing-trays by which thesame may be used for developing a negative in open daylight or without aspecial dark room.

My invention comprises a tray which is adapted to receive the plate tobe developed without exposing the same to light and is provided with areservoir or reservoirs connected therewith in such a manner that theproper developing and washing solution or solutions may be admitted tothe chamber containing the plate and then discharged therefrom whendesired. The tray is also provided with oppositely-located windows whichare provided with a plate of any transparent non-aotinic material, asruby glass or celluloid, so that the progress of development of theplate may be readily observed.

The invention consists more particularly in the novel features,whichwillbe hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side view of the device. Fig. 2 is an edge View thereofwith a plate-holder attached; and Figs. 3 and 4. are longitudinalsections showing, respectively, a plate-holder secured to the tray and aplate in position within the developing-chamber.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which may be used atany point irrespective of the presence of sunlight for developing anegative, the same to be portable, so that it may be carried with thecamera and a picture developed as soon as desired.

The device as shown comprises two chambers which are connected with eachother by means of a valve, so that the solution may be transferred fromone chamber to the other. The developing-chamber C is formed within themain body A of the tray and is provided with oppositely-placed windowswhich are provided with a closing-plate of any nonactinic material, asruby glass or celluloid.

The plate K, which closes the window at the back side of the tray, isfixedly secured. This window is also provided with a hinged opaqueshutter L, which is hinged at L to the body of the tray and which isheld in position by means of a catchL at the opposite end. This makes itpossible to cut off the light from the developing-chamber when desiredor to open it, so that the plate within the developing-chamber may beinspected. The plate I, which closes the window at the opposite side ofthe tray, is mounted'as a slide moving within guideways I ,-formed inthe sides and ends of the tray. This plate is pr0- vided with athickened head or handle I at one end, the plate projecting through saidend of the tray. A guideway for this plate is provided between the bodyAof the frame and an auxiliary frame A, which is secured to the mainframe by means of clamping-bolts F and nuts F upon said bolts. By thismeans the plate I may be fixedly secured when desired, and by looseningthe clamping-nuts F the plate may be freed so that it may be drawnoutward, thus opening the side of'the tray for the admission or removalofthe plate. It will be seen that the auxiliary frame Ais removable,which is a great o0nvenience,.as it enables the same tray by thesubstitution of suitable auxiliary frames to be used for plate-holdersof different styles.

In order to form a water-tight joint be-' tween the sliding plate I andthe body of the frame, a strip a ofsuitable packing material is placedupon this face of the tray, so that the sliding plate I bears upon thesame when clamped in position. The outer surface of the auxiliary frameA is also provided with a layer G of packing material, which willprevent the infiltration 'of light into the developing-chamber as. theplate is transferred from the plate-holder to the developing-tray.

The plate-holderjmay be of any suitable form and is secured to the sideof the develop ing-tray by being inserted beneath the clamp ing-nutsFupon the ends of bolts F. In Fig. 3 the plate-holder is shown inposition, while in Fig. 4 it has beenremoved. The plateholder E hereinshown consists of'the usual frame having a central partition and twoslides e and 6', between which and the central partition are placed thetwo plates P and P. This plate-holder E is in most respects Ice like theordinary plate-holder, but at the end which is uppermost in Fig. 3 hasthe little ledges which ordinarily hold the plate in position cut away,so that the plate may readily drop out of the holder when placed withone side down and the slide 6 or e removed. The plates P and P are heldin place by set-screws p, which pass through the end of the holder andengage the ends of the plates. At their opposite ends the plates engagebars J, which are pressed outward by springs J, lying in the groovesback of the bars. By removing the slide and loosening the proper screwsthe plate may be caused to drop from the holder into thedeveloping-chamber of the tray.

The solutions which are to be used in treating the plate are containedwithin tanks or reservoirs B B, which are connected with either end ofthe developingchamber by means of passages D, which preferably eX- tend'across a considerable portion of the width of the tray. These passagesare controlled by means of valves D, which have each an opening dextending through the same and adapted to be turned by means of handlesD so as to coincidein direction with the passages D. After the plate hasbeen placed in position the slide I is moved inward and the auxiliaryframe A securely clamped thereon, so as to make a water-tight jointbetween said slide and the body of the tray, so that the solution whichis being used for developing the plate may not leak out about its edges.The valve D communicating with the chamber containing the solution firstto be used is then turned so as to open communication between thedevelopingchamber and said tank B. The tray is then turned up, so as topermit the solution to flow into the developing-chamber. The valve D isthen turned so as to cut off communimay then be washed out or filledwith another solution from the other tank. When the plate has beensufficiently acted upon by any solution, the tray is turned so that thedeveloping-chamber is above the tank for said solution and the valve Dbetween the two opened, which will quickly discharge the solution intothe tank.

The process of development of the plate may be readily observed throughone or both of the transparent plates covering the window-openings. Byholding the tray, with the plate therein, between the eye of theobserver and a-source of light, as a window, the plate may be inspectedalmost as readily as if it could be taken up directly in the hand. If

it is desired to entirely cut off light from the developing-chamber, aplate Il may be used, which is of metal or other opaque substance and ofsuch size as to snugly fit within the opening of the auxiliary frame A.This plate is provided with a knob H, by which it may be readily handledand may be inserted or re moved, as desired.

The tanks are filled and emptied by means of screw-caps Z) or othersuitable closing devices placed upon their outer ends. The solution maybe changed as often as desired or necessary for the proper developmentof the plate. WVashing-water may also be used, if desired. The tray isshown as provided with two tanks B and B; but it is evident that in somecontingencies a single tank may be used or the tray may be provided withmore than two tanks, the principle being the same in either case andbeing sufficiently shown by the two tanks.

In case it is desired to use an artificial light to illuminate theinterior of the developingchamber and to view the developing process ahood M is used, which has its edges adapted to be clamped to the side ofthe auxiliary frame A by means of the clamping-nuts F and has a smallelectric lamp M and battery M secured thereto, so as to illuminate theinterior of the developingchamber at will. Upon the opposite side of thetray may be secured a hood N, to the outer open end of which the eye maybe applied, so as to view the result. These hoods are both detachableand may be used or not, as desired.

By means of this device it will be possible to develop a picture underalmost any circumstances and wherever desired. It will add materially tothe pleasures of photography, as it will make it possible for thephotographer to develop his picture immediately and if there is anythingwrong with it to rectify this by taking another picture. It also doesaway with the discomforts necessarily attendant upon the use ofimprovised dark rooms.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A developing-tray having openingsin oppositesides, non-actinic transparent windows for closing said openings, one ofsaid windows being movable toward and from its opening so as to cover oruncover the same, means for making a water-tight joint between saidwindow and the tray when closed, means for securing a plate-holder tothe tray and releasing the plate therefrom, and means for introducingand discharging the various liquids for the treatment of the plate,substantially as described.

2. A developing-tray having a non-actinic transparent sliding window,and means for pressing said window against the body of the tray toproduce a liquid-tight joint and to hold said window against accidentalmove ment.

3. A developing-tray, having two chambers, one adapted to receive theplate to be treated and having windows closed by nonactinic plates, oneof said plates being mounted to slide to permit the introduction of thenegative or photographic plate, clamps adapted to temporarily secure aplate-holder to this side of the tray and covering the window thereof, aliquid-holding tank at one end of the tray and having a passageconnecting therewith, and a valve controlling the said passage, saidtank having a filling-opening and cap, substantially as described.

4. A developing-tray, having two chambers, one adapted to receive theplate to be treated and having opposite windows closed by non-actinicplates, one of said plates being mounted to slide to permit theintroduction of a negative or photographic plate, a hinged opaque coverfor the opposite window, a removable opaque cover for the slidingwindowplate, clamps adapted to temporarily secure a plate-holder to theside of the tray having the sliding plate and covering thewindow-opening on the said side, a liquidholding tank at one end of thetray and having a passage connecting therewith, a valve controlling saidpassage, the tank having a fillingopening, and a cap closing the same,substantially as described.

5. A developing-tray, having two connectin g chambers, a valvecontrolling the connection between said chambers,one chamber c011-stitnting a liquid-storing tank and the other a developing andplate-receiving chamber, a frame having an opening equal to that of theplate to be treated, a slide of non-actinic and transparent materialmounted to slide in guides on the tray and adapted to close one side ofthe plate-receiving chamber, means for clamping the said frame to thetray with the slide between them, and means for temporarilysecuring aplate-holder to the outer side of this frame, substantially asdescribed.

6. A developing-tray, having two connecting chambers, a valvecontrolling the connection between said chambers, one chamberconstituting a liquid-storing tank and the other a developing andplate-receiving chamber, a frame having an opening equal to that of theplate to be treated, a slide of non-actinic and transparent materialmounted to slide in guides on the tray and adapted to close one side ofthe plate-receiving chamber, means for clamping the said frame to thetray with the slide between them, and means for temporarily securing aplate-holder to the outer side of this frame, the tray having a windowopposite its slide closed by a transparent nonactinic plate,substantially as described.

7. A developing-tray, having two connectin g chambers, a valvecontrolling the connecti on between said chambers, one chamber @011-stituting a liquid-storing tank and the other a developing andplate-receiving chamber, a frame having an opening equal to that of theplate to be treated, a plate of non-actinic and transparent materialmounted to slide in guides on the tray and adapted to close one side ofthe plate-receiving chamber, means for clamping the said frame to thetray with the non-actinic transparent slide between them, means fortemporarily securing a platescribed.

8. A developing-tray having in one of its large or fiat sides, anaperture of sufficient size for the flatwise insertion of a photographicplate, a non-actinic transparent window movably connected with the trayso as to cover or uncover said aperture, and a device for pressing saidwindow against the body of the tray to produce a liquid-tight joint andto hold said window against accidental movement. v

9. A developing-tray, having opposite nonactinic windows, means forsecuring a plateholder to the tray and transferring the plate therefromto the tray without exposing it, means for introducing and dischargingthe various liquids for the treatment of the plate,

and hoods securable over opposite windows,-

one hood having an artificial lighting means within it and the otherhaving a view-opening, substantially as described.

10. A developing tray, having opposite non-actinic Windows, means forsecuring a' plate-holder to the tray and transferring the platetherefrom to the tray without exposing it, means for introd ueing anddischarging the various liquids for the treatment of the plate, a hoodattachable to the tray to cover one window, and an electric lamp withinsaid hood, substantially as described.

11. A developingtray, having windows upon opposite sides closed bynon-actinic observation -plates, one of said plates being mounted as aslide to permit the introduction of a negative, clamps for temporarilysecuring a plate-holder to this side of the tray and in registry withthe window-opening, removable opaque covers for the windows, and a tankhaving a valved connection with the plate-holding chamber, whereby theproper liquids may be introduced and discharged for treating the plate,substantially as described.

12. A developing-tray, having a plurality of chambers, one adapted toreceive the plate to be treated and having windows closed by non-actinicplates, one of said plates being mounted to slide to permit theintroduction of the negative or photographic plate, clamps adapted totemporarily secure a plate-holder to this side of the tray and coveringthe window thereof, the other chambers constituting liquid-holding tanksone at each end of the tray and having passages connecting with theplate receiving or developing chamber, and

valves controlling the said passages, said tanks having each afilling-opening and cap therefor, substantially as described.

STUART B. MOORE.v

Witnesses:

JNo. M. RITTER, H. L. REYNOLDS.

